Believing And Receiving

BELIE'VER, n. One who believes; one who gives credit to other evidence than that of personal knowledge.

1. In theology, one who gives credit to the truth of the scriptures, as a revelation from God. In a more restricted sense, a professor of christianity; one who receives the gospel, as unfolding the true way of salvation, and Christ, as his Savior.

1.) The Believer Receives New Life, 1Jn_5:1-3

A. New life and a new family. v.1-2

Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ receive a new life and are the "children of God" (v.2)

This new life in Christ brings New love for God, new love for The Body of Christ and a new desire to follow Him.

Joh 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

B. Obedience and love are fruits of the believer v.3

If we love God and keep his commandments we will naturally have a desire to love others as well, and tell them about the love that God has for them.

Joh 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

C. Who ever said life was going to be easy? v.3

This world can be tough to live in and it doesn't help that there is a great number of people in the world who have a disdain for the name of Jesus, but even in the midst of this opposition there is always help.

Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Being a disciple of Jesus is truly only as hard as we make it.

2.) The Believer Receives Victory, 1Jn_5:4-5

A. Signed, Sealed and Delivered v.4

A born again believer has been sealed with the holy spirit of God and has the power to overcome the evil of the world because he has believed.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Also 2Co_1:22; Eph_4:30

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

B. Victory in Jesus v.5

Jesus overcame the world by overcoming death and the grave, and he paid the ultimate price that we might follow in his footsteps to overcome this world as well.

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

3.) The Believer Receives A Witness

1Jn_5:6-12

WITNESS, n.

1. Testimony; attestation of a fact or event.

2. That which furnishes evidence or proof.

A. A true witness v.6

At Jesus baptism and at his death the Holy Spirit was a witness of the truth that He was the Son of God.

Baptism Joh_1:29-34; Death Joh_19:28-37

B. A reliable witness v.7-9

We serve a triune God; three persons, three administrations but one God. Father, Son and Holy Ghost

TRI'UNE, a. [L. tres and unus.] Three in one; an epithet applied to God, to express the unity of the Godhead in a trinity of persons.

In verse 7 the word "Word" with a capital W here is the same as in Joh_1:14 which gives credit to being "the only begotten of the Father" (Son) which testifies to the deity of Christ.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus was God in the flesh and thus He understands us in the most intimate way possible, and again we have witness of His deity through the record of his baptism, death and resurrection.

Baptism Mat_3:16-17; Death Mar_15:39; Resurrection Rom_1:3-4

Most people would believe the testimony several people telling the same story, than surely we should believe the testimony of God who after all is the God of truth.

Our God is Omnipotent (all powerful), Omnipresent (all places at all time) and Omniscient (all knowing).

You could not get a more reliable witness.

B. A truthful witness v.10-12